Sudden Myopia Reversal
Yes – it's for real and I have proof … ME!
I'm male, a retired engineer going on 79, nearsighted approximately forever, and have worn contacts for the past 45 years. My most recent prescription is (was?) -2.00 and was significantly higher when I first got glasses in 7th grade. (I probably needed them much sooner.) I've had many comprehensive eye exams – and yearly after turning 65. Never any problems, very mild prescription adjustments over the years, and switched to multifocal lenses several years ago.
Here's where it gets interesting: A few weeks ago I began noticing that my distance vision sometimes seemed a bit "off". On Aug. 4, while watching TV in bed with my glasses (the only time I wear them), noticed that the vision in my right eye was definitely worse than the left. Not drastic - just worse. Then, while watching TV a couple days later I realized that the blurriness in my right eye wasn't because my vision was getting worse … it was because it was getting better! Thursday morning, Aug. 6, I only put a contact in the left eye and discovered I could see just as well out of the right eye without correction! To say I was surprised is a huge understatement, and for the next couple days only put in the left lens. I jokingly told my girlfriend that I just needed the left eye to catch up to the right eye.
Concerned about this rapid vision change, on Mon. Aug. 10, I made an appointment for an exam the following week. My previous eye exam was nearly a year ago; and while I might have put it off another month or more, it seemed only prudent to seek professional evaluation sooner. (I asked, but was told it wasn't a medical emergency.) Meanwhile, while watching TV a couple nights later, and taking my glasses off and on, I thought that my left eye might be changing! The next morning (Thur. Aug. 13), after inserting the left contact (or so I thought), and looking out the bathroom window at distant a tree, I conducted the old cover one eye at a time test and confirmed nothing had changed. Then I saw the contact had fallen onto the sink's countertop! My nearsightedness was GONE; and for the first time since starting to drive, I could do so without glasses or contacts. My near vision is a bit worse than before, but nothing that reading glasses can't handle.
There have been no significant changes in my diet, sleep, weight or exercise, while a wellness checkup with bloodwork on May 20 revealed nothing out of the ordinary. No head trauma, I've done nothing unusual, and have made no effort toward affecting a "natural" myopia cure. Anyway, today's eye exam was a lot of "fun," especially when asked if there've been any changes! The vision in my left eye, which took a few days longer to catch up to right, is perfect, while the right eye is almost as good. Interestingly, the left eye required a bit less correction to begin with.
We have no explanation why my longtime myopia disappeared last week and the doctor is as amazed as I am. However, I'm scheduled for another exam in mid-February and was directed to get new bloodwork in the next month or so. Bloodwork was part of my overall wellness checkup in May, so I don't anticipate anything bad. Evidently, some medical conditions, particularly diabetes, can result in vision changes and she just wants to rule out what we can.
I asked the doctor to remember my name when she discovers what's going on, gets the Nobel Prize, and goes on the lecture circuit.